NEW YORK — A new proposal would require New York City retailers to keep tobacco products out of sight under a first-in-the-nation proposal aimed at reducing the youth smoking rate, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday.

The legislation would require stores to keep tobacco products in cabinets, drawers, under the counter, behind a curtain or in other concealed spots. They could only be visible during restocking or when an adult is making a purchase.

Bloomberg said similar prohibitions on displays have been enacted in other countries, including Canada, England and Ireland.

An industry group said the proposal was too much. “It’s an over-the-top attempt to control the sale of a legal product,” said Andy Kerstein, president of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets, a trade group that represents about 20,000 tobacco stores, convenience stores and other stores that sell tobacco.

The owners of Boulder’s Sterling University Peaks apartments, who this summer were cited for illegally subdividing 92 bedrooms in the complex, have reached an agreement to settle the case for $410,000, the city announced Thursday.